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<p data-start="193" data-end="590"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mass protests have erupted across <strong data-start="227" data-end="268"><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Somalia</span></span></strong> after <strong data-start="275" data-end="316"><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Israel</span></span></strong> became the first country in the world to formally recognise <strong data-start="377" data-end="418"><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Somaliland</span></span></strong> as an independent state. The move has triggered widespread anger, with demonstrators accusing Israel of violating Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty and threatening regional stability.</span></p>
<p data-start="592" data-end="976"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Tuesday, large crowds gathered in multiple Somali cities, including the capital <strong data-start="675" data-end="716"><span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline"><span class="whitespace-normal">Mogadishu</span></span></strong>, where protesters assembled near the city&rsquo;s main football stadium and around the international airport. Waving Somali flags, demonstrators chanted slogans calling for national unity and rejecting any attempt to legitimise Somaliland&rsquo;s separation from Somalia.</span></p>
<p data-start="978" data-end="1358"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Somaliland, a former British protectorate, declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government. Despite maintaining its own administration, security forces and elections, it has never received formal international recognition. Somalia&rsquo;s federal government has consistently maintained that Somaliland remains an integral part of the country.</span></p>
<p data-start="1360" data-end="1743"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Israel&rsquo;s decision to recognise Somaliland has therefore struck a deep nerve. Somali officials have condemned the move as a direct challenge to the country&rsquo;s territorial integrity and have begun seeking international diplomatic support to counter the recognition. The government has raised the issue at global forums and urged countries and regional blocs to reaffirm Somalia&rsquo;s unity.</span></p>
<p data-start="1745" data-end="2120"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Protesters across Somalia described the recognition as an external attempt to fragment the country. Many warned that legitimising breakaway regions could set a dangerous precedent not only for Somalia but for other fragile states in the region. Security forces were deployed in Mogadishu and other cities to manage crowds, though the demonstrations remained largely peaceful.</span></p>
<p data-start="2122" data-end="2587"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The reaction has extended beyond Somalia&rsquo;s streets. Several countries and international organisations have reiterated their support for Somalia&rsquo;s sovereignty, emphasising that Somaliland&rsquo;s status must be resolved through dialogue within Somalia&rsquo;s constitutional framework. Regional actors have also expressed concern that the move could inflame tensions in the Horn of Africa, a region already grappling with conflict, political instability and humanitarian crises.</span></p>
<p data-start="2589" data-end="2921"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, Somaliland&rsquo;s leadership has welcomed Israel&rsquo;s recognition, viewing it as a breakthrough that could open the door to wider international acceptance and economic engagement. Celebrations were reported in parts of Somaliland, highlighting the sharp contrast in reactions between the breakaway region and the rest of Somalia.</span></p>
<p data-start="2923" data-end="3260" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">As protests continue and diplomatic efforts intensify, the episode has underscored the sensitivity surrounding borders and recognition in the Horn of Africa. For Somalia, the issue goes beyond foreign policy, touching the core of national identity and unity more than three decades after the country began rebuilding from state collapse.</span></p>
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Somalia Erupts After Israel Backs Somaliland State

Demonstrations erupt nationwide as Somalia condemns move as threat to unity

Somalia Erupts After Israel Backs Somaliland State

Demonstrations erupt nationwide as Somalia condemns move as threat to unity

December 31, 2025 | 24:55 IST